By Ausmita
An overnight prepare from Chennai brought us to Chettinad. Hopping off, nosotros noticed that solely iv or 5 other people had alighted there.
The identify nosotros were supposed to rest at, had called us dorsum the previous eve to inquire how nosotros planned to larn to Kanadukathan (our in conclusion destination) from the railway station. I had answered nonchalantly that nosotros volition only accept an auto or a taxi (like nosotros create everywhere else duh!). The individual at the other terminate had dismissed this amongst an amused musical note as well as went on to say that he volition post an auto to fetch us from the station. I had idea this to go unnecessary but finally agreed to the humble choice upwardly arrangement.
Stepping out of the station straight off nether the slanting rays of the ascent sun, nosotros realized how naïve nosotros were to assume nosotros could exactly sashay out of Chettinad station as well as hitch an auto to larn to our destination. There were solely ii autos as well as a individual vehicle waiting exterior the station which appeared to create got been booked inwards advance past times the other travellers.
The xv minutes journeying from Chettinad railway station to the heritage hamlet of Kanadukathan was a bumpy one. As the auto rickshaw like shooting fish in a barrel made its means through what was left of the road, nosotros passed crumbling boundary walls as well as royal gates of what powerfulness create got been grand estates at ane time, straight off lost to wilderness. It was the tales of these grand estates as well as palaces that had brought us to Chettinad.
The Chettinad region; synonymous amongst spicy aromatic nutrient prepared from freshly dry soil masalas; originally consisted of well-nigh 96 villages spread over an expanse of 600-1500 sq mile inwards the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. It is this that Chettiars, a prosperous banking as well as business organisation community of South India, claim as their traditional home. The Chettiars were successful maritime traders who became immensely prosperous past times trading inwards common salt as well as rice inwards the South East Asia, particularly Burma. Unofficial figures position the total release of these palaces inwards Chettinad, each roofing 30,000 to 40,000 sq feet expanse at 11,000.
Fuelled past times the handsome returns from maritime trade, the Chettiars left no expenses spared inwards opulently decking upwardly their palaces amongst Italian Marble, Burmese Teak, Belgian glass, intricate Fe grills, ornate carvings as well as colourful Athangudi tiles indigenous to the region. However, the Japanese trouble of Burma during the Second World War was a blow to their business. Unable to repatriate their wealth, most suffered terrible loses. The conduct affect of this was felt on the maintenance as well as upkeep of their mansions.
The Sun was high inwards the heaven when nosotros finally managed to footstep out for the tour of the village. Home to well-nigh lxx Chettiar mansions, Kanadukathan is a virtual ghost town amongst most Chettiar families having migrated abroad or to ane or the other major urban nub of Republic of Republic of India over a menses of time. Even inwards broad daylight, the streets of Kanadukathan fortified past times the high walls of the mansions on either side were practically empty except for a stray wheel or a hunched one-time human like shooting fish in a barrel walking past. Most palaces are inwards diverse stages of disrepair. However, the few that are withal painstakingly maintained past times respective families are a living will to the grandeur of the past.
Our root stop, a regal whitewashed mansion amongst brilliant colours accentuating the edges as well as windows, suitably called the Rajah’s palace. The solely opening inwards its high chemical compound wall, an as high grill gate was latched from inside. We peered inside. H5N1 curt distance away, a guard was perched on a stool side past times side to an enormous wooden double door. I position upwardly a smile face, stepped upwardly to the gate as well as yelled out inwards faltering Tamil, “Anna, Veedu pakhre” as well as hoped that he understood that nosotros wanted to accept a await at the mansion. Evidently he had come upwardly across several such “curious cutlets” inwards his days of perching exterior that door. He replied almost reflexively, “No. No. Close aaich.”
We moved on to try our luck at the side past times side imposing mansion but were met amongst the same response till nosotros wandered into Chettinadu Mansion, a heritage hotel. The owner, a genial elderly gentleman was lounging inwards the ane of bluish sofas inwards the grandiose reception hall amongst a chequered flooring as well as white arches supported past times enormous dark marble pillars. He saw us as nosotros were climbing upwardly the stairs of the porch as well as gestured us to come upwardly inside. Elated, nosotros stepped in. He was as curious well-nigh us, as nosotros were well-nigh him as well as his house. After taking us through the history of Chettinad as well as Chettinadu Mansion, he gave us a costless mitt to wander through the opened upwardly sections of the house.
We were awestruck. Beyond the Reception Hall, also known as “marriage hall”, was a serial of successive courtyards connected past times doors that lined upwardly conduct from the entrance to the dorsum of the house. Each courtyard was surrounded past times broad verandas as well as rooms on all iv sides. The root courtyard had bedrooms or individual living quarters of the identify unit of measurement members spread across ii floors. The doors were intricately carved amongst figures of gods, goddesses as well as apsaras. The verandah on the upper flooring was surrounded past times ornate bluish as well as white wrought Fe grills. The side past times side courtyard, meant for dining purposes was simpler as well as the in conclusion courtyard had shop rooms as well as kitchen. Next solar daytime nosotros visited a few to a greater extent than mansions. What struck us most was that all houses, despite their similar layout, had their ain unique architecture as well as décor. In fact, sometimes the décor as well as the materials used modify from courtyard to courtyard inwards the same business solid as a effect of continued structure over several years as well as generations.
Each business solid inwards Kanadukathan is a veritable portal into the golden historic menses of Chettiars as well as their exploits all over the world. We returned amongst a photographic boob tube camera total of memories. Our solely lament is that these portals are rapidly shutting downwards as well as before long Chettinad as well as its palaces volition likely solely be inwards hearsay.
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